Born 22 Dec 1869, Collierville, Shelby Co., TN, and died 28 Jun 1957, Memphis, Shelby Co., TN
Memphis, Tennessee, 28 June 1957:
Granddaughter of a general and mother of a general, Mrs. Willis Jones Cates, member of a well known Lake County (TN) family, died at 1:28 a.m. today at Parkview Hotel. She was 87.
Memphis resident for a number of years, she was a member of a family long prominent in northwest Tennessee. Mrs. Cates was widely known for her great interest in genealogy and her many other activities.
The former Martha Darnall Bledsoe, she was born at Collierville (TN). Her parents were Virginia Darnall and Boyd Clay Bledsoe. She attended Daughters' College in Harrodsburg, Ky. (now the famous Beaumont Inn), and married Mr. Cates of Cates' Landing on Nov. 16, 1892. He was a Lake County planter, ginner, & community leader.
She was a member of the Methodist Church of Tiptonville, Tenn., member of the Hermitage Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution, member of the Raphael Semmes Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and Magna Charta Dames.
She made her home with Dr. and Mrs. Thompson Prothro in Memphis. She was for many years registrar of the Commodore Perry Chapter of the DAR. Members of her family said she did many things for others.
Her grandfather was General Henry McKinney Darnall of Lake County, Tennessee
She leaves both of her two children, Gen. Clifton Bledsoe Cates, (#6816458) of Edgewater Beach, Md., retired 19th commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Mrs. Katherine Cates Prothro #99433442 (Mrs. J. Thompson Prothro) of Memphis; three grown grandchildren, Thompson Prothro, Jr., of Corvallis, Oregon, Clifton Cates, Jr., Navy commander, and Ann Cates Hilbish (Mrs. Joseph, Jr.) of Jamestown, N.Y., and five (ultimately six) great-grandchildren.
J.W. Norris Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Dr. W. J. Cunningham will conduct services there Saturday afternoon at one o'clock. Interment services will be held at the grave in Tiptonville, Tenn., at 4 o'clock.
(ORIGINAL BIO SUBMITTED BY PAO: REGARDING MARTHA DARNALL BLEDSOE HER BIRTH DATE DEC. 22, 1869 (Sevier County
Tennessee, USA) DEATH DATE 1957. MARRIED TO WILLIS CATES. ONE OF THEIR SONS (sic) WAS CLIFTON BLEDSOE CATES. HE WAS COMMADANT OF THE U.S. MARINES WITH AN OUTSTANDING MILITARY RECORD. RELATED TO MY FAMILY THRU MY GRANDFATHER
-SUBMITED BY PAO)
Having suffered Rheumatic Fever as a teenager, Mattie lost much of her hair retaining only a fine cap, white when I knew her. She kept two wigs, both grey, one good & one 'everyday,' which allowed her to send one to the hairdresser as needed without going herself. She had a sweet disposition and until quite old was good company, even for children.
Memphis, Tennessee, 28 June 1957:
Granddaughter of a general and mother of a general, Mrs. Willis Jones Cates, member of a well known Lake County (TN) family, died at 1:28 a.m. today at Parkview Hotel. She was 87.
Memphis resident for a number of years, she was a member of a family long prominent in northwest Tennessee. Mrs. Cates was widely known for her great interest in genealogy and her many other activities.
The former Martha Darnall Bledsoe, she was born at Collierville (TN). Her parents were Virginia Darnall and Boyd Clay Bledsoe. She attended Daughters' College in Harrodsburg, Ky. (now the famous Beaumont Inn), and married Mr. Cates of Cates' Landing on Nov. 16, 1892. He was a Lake County planter, ginner, & community leader.
She was a member of the Methodist Church of Tiptonville, Tenn., member of the Hermitage Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution, member of the Raphael Semmes Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and Magna Charta Dames.
She made her home with Dr. and Mrs. Thompson Prothro in Memphis. She was for many years registrar of the Commodore Perry Chapter of the DAR. Members of her family said she did many things for others.
Her grandfather was General Henry McKinney Darnall of Lake County, Tennessee
She leaves both of her two children, Gen. Clifton Bledsoe Cates, (#6816458) of Edgewater Beach, Md., retired 19th commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Mrs. Katherine Cates Prothro #99433442 (Mrs. J. Thompson Prothro) of Memphis; three grown grandchildren, Thompson Prothro, Jr., of Corvallis, Oregon, Clifton Cates, Jr., Navy commander, and Ann Cates Hilbish (Mrs. Joseph, Jr.) of Jamestown, N.Y., and five (ultimately six) great-grandchildren.
J.W. Norris Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Dr. W. J. Cunningham will conduct services there Saturday afternoon at one o'clock. Interment services will be held at the grave in Tiptonville, Tenn., at 4 o'clock.
(ORIGINAL BIO SUBMITTED BY PAO: REGARDING MARTHA DARNALL BLEDSOE HER BIRTH DATE DEC. 22, 1869 (Sevier County
Tennessee, USA) DEATH DATE 1957. MARRIED TO WILLIS CATES. ONE OF THEIR SONS (sic) WAS CLIFTON BLEDSOE CATES. HE WAS COMMADANT OF THE U.S. MARINES WITH AN OUTSTANDING MILITARY RECORD. RELATED TO MY FAMILY THRU MY GRANDFATHER
-SUBMITED BY PAO)
Having suffered Rheumatic Fever as a teenager, Mattie lost much of her hair retaining only a fine cap, white when I knew her. She kept two wigs, both grey, one good & one 'everyday,' which allowed her to send one to the hairdresser as needed without going herself. She had a sweet disposition and until quite old was good company, even for children.
Born 22 Dec 1869, Collierville, Shelby Co., TN, and died 28 Jun 1957, Memphis, Shelby Co., TN
Memphis, Tennessee, 28 June 1957:
Granddaughter of a general and mother of a general, Mrs. Willis Jones Cates, member of a well known Lake County (TN) family, died at 1:28 a.m. today at Parkview Hotel. She was 87.
Memphis resident for a number of years, she was a member of a family long prominent in northwest Tennessee. Mrs. Cates was widely known for her great interest in genealogy and her many other activities.
The former Martha Darnall Bledsoe, she was born at Collierville (TN). Her parents were Virginia Darnall and Boyd Clay Bledsoe. She attended Daughters' College in Harrodsburg, Ky. (now the famous Beaumont Inn), and married Mr. Cates of Cates' Landing on Nov. 16, 1892. He was a Lake County planter, ginner, & community leader.
She was a member of the Methodist Church of Tiptonville, Tenn., member of the Hermitage Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution, member of the Raphael Semmes Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and Magna Charta Dames.
She made her home with Dr. and Mrs. Thompson Prothro in Memphis. She was for many years registrar of the Commodore Perry Chapter of the DAR. Members of her family said she did many things for others.
Her grandfather was General Henry McKinney Darnall of Lake County, Tennessee
She leaves both of her two children, Gen. Clifton Bledsoe Cates, (#6816458) of Edgewater Beach, Md., retired 19th commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Mrs. Katherine Cates Prothro #99433442 (Mrs. J. Thompson Prothro) of Memphis; three grown grandchildren, Thompson Prothro, Jr., of Corvallis, Oregon, Clifton Cates, Jr., Navy commander, and Ann Cates Hilbish (Mrs. Joseph, Jr.) of Jamestown, N.Y., and five (ultimately six) great-grandchildren.
J.W. Norris Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Dr. W. J. Cunningham will conduct services there Saturday afternoon at one o'clock. Interment services will be held at the grave in Tiptonville, Tenn., at 4 o'clock.
(ORIGINAL BIO SUBMITTED BY PAO: REGARDING MARTHA DARNALL BLEDSOE HER BIRTH DATE DEC. 22, 1869 (Sevier County
Tennessee, USA) DEATH DATE 1957. MARRIED TO WILLIS CATES. ONE OF THEIR SONS (sic) WAS CLIFTON BLEDSOE CATES. HE WAS COMMADANT OF THE U.S. MARINES WITH AN OUTSTANDING MILITARY RECORD. RELATED TO MY FAMILY THRU MY GRANDFATHER
-SUBMITED BY PAO)
Having suffered Rheumatic Fever as a teenager, Mattie lost much of her hair retaining only a fine cap, white when I knew her. She kept two wigs, both grey, one good & one 'everyday,' which allowed her to send one to the hairdresser as needed without going herself. She had a sweet disposition and until quite old was good company, even for children.
Memphis, Tennessee, 28 June 1957:
Granddaughter of a general and mother of a general, Mrs. Willis Jones Cates, member of a well known Lake County (TN) family, died at 1:28 a.m. today at Parkview Hotel. She was 87.
Memphis resident for a number of years, she was a member of a family long prominent in northwest Tennessee. Mrs. Cates was widely known for her great interest in genealogy and her many other activities.
The former Martha Darnall Bledsoe, she was born at Collierville (TN). Her parents were Virginia Darnall and Boyd Clay Bledsoe. She attended Daughters' College in Harrodsburg, Ky. (now the famous Beaumont Inn), and married Mr. Cates of Cates' Landing on Nov. 16, 1892. He was a Lake County planter, ginner, & community leader.
She was a member of the Methodist Church of Tiptonville, Tenn., member of the Hermitage Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution, member of the Raphael Semmes Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and Magna Charta Dames.
She made her home with Dr. and Mrs. Thompson Prothro in Memphis. She was for many years registrar of the Commodore Perry Chapter of the DAR. Members of her family said she did many things for others.
Her grandfather was General Henry McKinney Darnall of Lake County, Tennessee
She leaves both of her two children, Gen. Clifton Bledsoe Cates, (#6816458) of Edgewater Beach, Md., retired 19th commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Mrs. Katherine Cates Prothro #99433442 (Mrs. J. Thompson Prothro) of Memphis; three grown grandchildren, Thompson Prothro, Jr., of Corvallis, Oregon, Clifton Cates, Jr., Navy commander, and Ann Cates Hilbish (Mrs. Joseph, Jr.) of Jamestown, N.Y., and five (ultimately six) great-grandchildren.
J.W. Norris Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Dr. W. J. Cunningham will conduct services there Saturday afternoon at one o'clock. Interment services will be held at the grave in Tiptonville, Tenn., at 4 o'clock.
(ORIGINAL BIO SUBMITTED BY PAO: REGARDING MARTHA DARNALL BLEDSOE HER BIRTH DATE DEC. 22, 1869 (Sevier County
Tennessee, USA) DEATH DATE 1957. MARRIED TO WILLIS CATES. ONE OF THEIR SONS (sic) WAS CLIFTON BLEDSOE CATES. HE WAS COMMADANT OF THE U.S. MARINES WITH AN OUTSTANDING MILITARY RECORD. RELATED TO MY FAMILY THRU MY GRANDFATHER
-SUBMITED BY PAO)
Having suffered Rheumatic Fever as a teenager, Mattie lost much of her hair retaining only a fine cap, white when I knew her. She kept two wigs, both grey, one good & one 'everyday,' which allowed her to send one to the hairdresser as needed without going herself. She had a sweet disposition and until quite old was good company, even for children.
